Shiny Things

Hello from me and Ceili!

Hello everyone...

Ceili and I are online and saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

;o))))

posted by bugexplorer @ 12:49 AM 1 comments

Christmas things

As I was just saying I've been oop North for Christmas.

Arrived in Manchester on Christmas Eve eve, unfortunately I had told my aunt I'd be getting there on Christmas Eve so I was unexpected! Oops! Oh well, they didn't mind...

Had a lot of late nights - not so early mornings and more late nights. I have some photos but I am now in Leeds and my camera isn't. Although it is being couriered over by special delivery as my aunt is driving over with it (we're going to Canal Gardens too).

So I spent a few days in Manchester and then came over to Leeds to stay with Ceili, Dunc and Connor. Forgot to bring my camera which I was MOST annoyed about. I'm very gradually developing an addiction to the camera - it's not a rival for my web addiction yet but it's getting there.

The most annoying thing about forgetting my camera is that I went to York (by myself, for a bit of a think) and it was STUNNING! It was snowing the day I went so the place was all covered in sparkly white powder and hung with freezing fog. And I didn't have a camera, what a fool!

There was a great eerie moment walking back to my B&B about 9.30pm. I had to walk through the Minster Yard and as I looked down the street the end was shrouded in freezing fog. The Minster was invisible. It could have been hundreds of years ago. As I walked down the street parts of the Minster gradually loomed out of the fog - but you could feel the weight and presence of the parts which were still hidden. It was fantastically eerie! I was also listening to a very strange peice of music. That and the looming Minster sent shivers down my spine! (Kneel before your God by Lemon Jelly).

Got a sudden burst of loneliness in York so came back to Leeds earlier than intended and have had an even later night with Ceili!

Going to spend New Year with Clare and the gang at the Irish Centre. Will go back over to Manchester for a day or so and then it's back to Milton Keynes to resume the madness which is my life.

Will put up pics when I'm re-united with my secondary addiction and when I get the disposable camera developed!

posted by bugexplorer @ 2:12 PM 0 comments

Oh dear, a Problem

I have a problem.

Over Christmas I've been visiting people oop North and have been separated, cold turkey style from my lifeline, The Internet.

Spending time with my aunt and family in Manchester I found myself spending quite a bit of time on their computer (also because my cousins were showing me their favourite sites). Then I came over to my friend's in Leeds and spent a fair bit of time on their computer for the short amount of time I spent here! Then I went to York (by myself, bit of a pilgrimage sort of thing) and what's the first thing I do? Look for an internet cafe! OK I was also looking for somwhere to sleep but the 2 things went hand in hand - at the tourist information desk 'Can you recommend somewhere to stay for tonight and point me to the nearest internet cafe!' was the kind of phrase I came out with...

Now I'm back in Leeds again and Duncan is beginning to get the feeling I'm taking over his office!

So, I have to admit it, I am totally addicted. It is a bit of a problem.

posted by bugexplorer @ 2:04 PM 0 comments

Funky Music

Surfing and I found a music site I really like...

soulshaker

Good background tunes....

posted by bugexplorer @ 11:40 PM 0 comments

Crisp blue menthol pictures

This morning the light was just perfect!

I took these on my way into work...




























































































































































































It was sooooo fresh and bright! Lovely!

posted by bugexplorer @ 10:20 PM 0 comments

Crisp blue menthol days and Christmas shopping

We've had some excellent menthol days recently. Sunday morning was beautiful - golden sunshine and pale, pale blue sky.

Went Christmas shopping. I'd forgotten how much I like Christmas shopping. No really I do.

I know a lot of very nice people and when I'm buying presents for Christmas I get to think through each of their personalities to decide what would be a good present for them. Each time I do it I get to run through all my family and friends at one time. I get to think how nice they all are and how much I like buying them things!

Taken some pics which may be nice, which i'll have to put up later.

posted by bugexplorer @ 10:18 AM 0 comments

I love this

I just found a poem I absolutely love in a book I didn't know I had!

The Tyger

Tyger, Tyger burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil, what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger, Tyger burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

posted by bugexplorer @ 10:12 PM 3 comments

Busy and still tired....urgh!

Saw King Kong on Friday. Not quite as good as I thought it might be. There were some absolutely brilliant bits but overall it was just OK.

The bit I think I liked best was where people are trapped in the swamp - won't give it away! It's excellent.

The effects are very good indeed.

Planning and shopping for Christmas now.... urgh!

posted by bugexplorer @ 9:25 PM 0 comments

Too many late nights

Urgh!

After getting in at 1.25am last night I was really looking forward to having a relaxing night in tonight.

I'd completely forgotten about my department's night out for Christmas... more of a let's just go out than a Christmassy affair.

I wasn't impressed by my food.

The waitress didn't know what the soup was and didn't come back to tell us so I opted for the breaded brie. It turned out to be breaded but I don't quite know where the brie went.

I ordered baked Salmon which was supposed to come with roast and charlotte potatoes. I got the wrong potatoes. They took away my plate to correct this and brought it back with the other veg cold. They'd left the spurious steamed potatoes and added some roast ones on the side.

They looked like frozen roasties that you heat up in the oven, not actual fresh potatoes which have been roasted. The Salmon was OK but it had some nondescript sauce which tasted of nothing - not even the herb that it was impregnated with. It was supposed to be a champagne buttery sauce but tasted like bread sauce with all the flavour taken out. My vegetables were awful and even if they had been hot they would have been awful.

I had some vanilla cheesecake which was textured OK and tasted vaguely of artificial vanilla. I'd be surprised if there was any cheese flavouring in it, let alone actual cheese.

I was actually really bloated by the end of the meal by the amount of water I had to keep drinking to wash down the food. Plus I had managed a few glasses of red.

This place could be good for drinking in though - good ales! The had weissbeer and Speckled Hen on tap, (normally they would also have Amstel plus another 2 I've forgotten). Plus they have an open fire and it's cosy. The bar staff are very polite and tolerant too. As they proved.

The entertainment was provided by a member of our sister department getting resoundingly pissed and being a total prat. He completely stopped any conversations throughout the meal but those that involved him. He got rather lewd and loud towards the end and I think we were all getting a bit bored.

The funniest thing is going to be on Monday morning when he has to face everyone again!

Shame I have the day off now!

posted by bugexplorer @ 12:51 AM 1 comments

Disney Done Good

Saw "The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe" last night. Done by Disney - which I didn't realise until the film was starting. I'd been looking forward to seeing it since I saw the trailers 'cos The Chronicles of Narnia series is one of my all time favourites. Also the trailer looked good.

I was beginning to get concerned when I saw the Disney logo but it turned out OK.

I know the story so well it was impossible to watch it impartially as a film. I was looking out for 'this is what should happen now' and 'this is what they are going to say next'. So I'm surprised and very pleased to say that there were very few occasions when I was left unsatisfied. Most of the time the thing that was supposed to be said was said. The thing that was supposed to happen happened.

There were some changes from the book but I'm prepared to accept these in order to translate it to a film successfully.

There was some excellent graphic work to make the mythical beasts, goblinry and talking animals. A good battle scene and beautiful clothing - all the way it is in the book.

But, it wasn't all good.

There were scenes I thought shouldn't have been in because they were just too far from the story. For example - walking over a frozen river whilst it's thawing out and being washed away on a piece of ice because the dam is breaking. Sinking into the water and being drenched to the skin in freezing water - and not getting hypothermia! Please. Even though it was very pretty it was just daft.

3 of the children are meant to feel something different to the other at the mention of Aslan's name but this didn't come across at all. They don't know that Aslan is a Lion and have to be told but they weren't.

I forgive them.

But not for the music.

It was over the top, gushing and sentimental.

It's incredible how much seeing the story played out visually shows how religious it is. I've been reading these books for years, over and over. I've been caught up in the people in them and the scenes in them because they are beautiful and although the religiousness is clear in this part of the series it's not quite as present to me in the book as it was in the film.

Incredibly clear - even in the imagery - look at the almost halo around Aslan:

























































Added to the experience I went to see the film with The Colleague at Star City in Birmingham. We went to the gold class screen. They have reclining black leather seats, loads of space, a table for drinks and snacks and you're escorted to your seats. You get free popcorn too. Well, it's not really free cos the tickets aren't cheap. But it isn't extra. Luckily for the poor girl who managed, somehow, to tip her box of it everywhere as she approached the table next to ours in the bar! Very funny for us - but mortifying for her as we discovered she and the guy she was with were out on a 1st date! He thought it was funny too though.

It was a really mermerising journey back; thick fog interspersed with bright, clear patches of midnight blue sky and piercing bright stars, graduating back into fog banks so close you could just see the dispersed outlines of rearlights.

The moon even had a pulsating halo at one point.

Once we got into Milton Keynes it was so foggy you couldn't see the edge of the road. Putting on full beams made 2 blue streaks of fog light up and absolutely nothing else.

I was quite hypnotised by the time we got back. Plus it was 1.30am so I was also half asleep!

posted by bugexplorer @ 11:53 PM 0 comments

Wiiiiine

And lots of it.

I have a lot of things to drown.

posted by bugexplorer @ 6:14 PM 0 comments

Rrrggggh!

What

A

Day

Nothing was set up.

Nothing worked.

Oooh what an annoying, frustrating, painful pig of a day....

Wiiiiine Pleeease!

posted by bugexplorer @ 10:51 PM 0 comments

The fruits of last night's labour

I wondered if my surf-night was at all productive so went to check out the number of additions to my bookmarks (which all have the strangest tags - I'll have to tidy up) and I did come across some cool stuff. So I wasn't going totally insane, I was finding interesting things and not just surfing in a cloud of sleepiness refusing to go to bed because it's the weekend and I don't have to....

Here are some of the things:

A really cool looking building:The Hearst Tower

A panoramic shot taken from the Hearst tower of the Manhattan Skyline

Floating robotic cubes that swarm: Description of the cubes and a video about them on the Discovery Channel website

Free electronic books

A competition from Virgin music stores - name the bands in the pic on this website http://www.heavy.com/heavy.php - you have to load the site and then hover across the icons at the bottom and go to 'Exercise your music muscle'

And something that The colleague could have found a use for if he'd only heard of it earlier (he's arranged lodgings now, although he's not in them yet so there may still be a need for this temporary habitat

posted by bugexplorer @ 1:07 PM 0 comments

Searching searching

Reading, reading....

Ooh it's a wide wide world.... I can't go to bed, I'm tired but I just keep finding more things to read and save and look at and..... loooooootttts of thiiiiings..... bog eyed and yawning and not taking it all in but I'm still following more and more links.

Please will someone slap me!

Seriously there is just so much great stuff to keep finding though....

Well, here I am on a Saturday night after drinking wine and watching Madagascar with a friend after some sucessful retail therapy and a bit of work so I don't feel too guilty about it... friend has gorn home and I know I should sleep 'cos I'm tired but I just can't stop surfing.

I'm afraid it's serious now, I am a totally addicted web junkie.

I've admitted it now.

At least I'm still typing full words and haven't yet said goodbye to grammar. There may be hope for me yet. Or not, I think that's just my ever active pedant gland at work. I just can't bear to see stray or missing apostrohpes, it makes me mad. And the use of the wrong type of their/there/they're makes me choke. So no. It's just a different kind of geekiness.

Oh well, on that note I know I need to sleep, g'night!

posted by bugexplorer @ 2:43 AM 0 comments

Diddly done

Strangled cats and tortured squeaky things!

2 drummers (on 2 separate drum kits)
2 base guitarists
2 guitarists
2 keyboards
3 singers

It was impossible to hear yourself think, let alone hear yourself singing (even with a microphone) so the words 'sing' and 'tune' will be used loosely...

Amongst other things we murdered:

• Ticket to ride
• Under the boardwalk
• Jive talking
• I saw her standing there

I played a bit of whistle to assist in the packing up... (it doesn't go with any of the things we did)

We almost had to break drumsticks to get one of the drummers to stop, so organising the group to actually play a recognisable tune was like herding cats. And trying to announce a new song over the continual plonking of the guitars was like being stuck in some sort of auditory hell!

Well, it was a jam session - truly and fun but some organisation might be in order for the next one...

posted by bugexplorer @ 9:44 AM 0 comments